MACHINERY

New gear on display at Wimmera Machinery Field Days

There was plenty of new machinery on display at the WMFD this week at Horsham, Victoria.

Mark Saunders

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Included in the new products were the Lemken Steketee mechanical weeder, Krone EasyCut mowing system and ECTC Connect and a retrofittable pulse width modulation spraying system called FlowTRON from Arag Australia.

The Krone ECTC features a coupling frame which connects two ECTC400 (four metre) or ECTC500 (five metre) trailed mowers to the rear of a tractor in combination with a front mower, delivering up to 13m cutting width.

Krone product manager, Ash Swayne, said the until the release of the ECTC, farmers have only been able to use one trailed mower in combination with a front mower, a butterfly mower, or the Krone BIGM450 self-propelled mower.

"Krone is the only manufacturer to provide a connecting kit, allowing a massive working width, making it a ground-breaking product," he said.

"The mowers can be operated simultaneously or individually from the cab via an electrical box and the operational movements include moving the mowers up and down and angle adjustment and turning - perfect for when you approach a headland and need to steer the mowers tighter.

"The ECTC Connect features a hydraulic quick coupler for hydraulic connection to the rear mowers, while also allowing operators to individually fine-tune the hydraulic valve," Swayne said.

The hydraulic valve has a sensitivity flow control adjustment to change the timing when turning or lifting.

The Horsham event was held over three days and is the first major broadcare field days for the calendar year. WMFD was also the first public outing of the Kondinin Group's Drought Resilience for Agriculture Research Extension and Adoption program.

Kondinin Group members will have already seen several of the Drought Program Reports delivered with the Farming Ahead magazine with lots more to come covering a wide range of topics.

The Extension Program will be rolled out at several key events this year, so keep an eye out on our social media platforms for specific events and locations.

The program will see Kondinin Group deliver a range of farmer-focused extension and adoption materials aimed at seeking out the most successful drought-related techniques, strategies and technologies being used by farmers and agribusinesses around the country. More details can be found at www.droughtinfo.com.au

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

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